What is the Vic Swisschamp SOS Mirror made of please? ......

[Huntsman]

Hey Guys,

I recently picked up a Swisschamp with version I of the SOS kit (circa late 80s)

I was very thrilled as everything was present and it was pretty much NIB

After checking it out on the WIKI I realised to my great disappointment that the signal mirror was missing.

Then back to being thrilled again as I kinda accidentally found a spare on a outdoorsy website in the UK
- It was listed as a Vic Signal Mirror in their SAK Accessories section of the website

Then back to disappointment - It arrived today and it is a white plastic sheet with a silvered/metal-like coating on one side    

I looked at the WIKI again - The Signal Mirror Instructions pretty much imply that both sides were/have to be mirrored
- Don't you just love SAKWIKI - Everything you need to find is there - So grateful to the guys who set it up! 

So is this another example of a product's quality of manufacture and material downgrading over time??
I suspect it was metal in the early days and maybe now is plastic? Or maybe I just have a non Vic part?

Please can someone who has a Vic signal mirror tell me what it is made of.

And if anyone has a metal mirror spare that they can sell me please let me know
- Or can anyone suggest where I could order a metal one or even make one.

Thanks lads   

[Huntsman]

PS. Sorry if this was not clear - It is plastic and I expected it to be a thin sheet of highly polished metal (both sides)

[Boonies]

Huntsman.....I have two of the SOS kits, one with the double pockets, one with the single pocket and the signal mirrors in both are a dark plastic that is silver on one side.  Both have a hole in the center for sighting.  I believe the silver side is applied, i.e., glued on as I can see a few wrinkles that look like it has liftted.  Both of these kits I purchased in the 90's I believe, but not positive on that.  Hope this helps, good luck on your hunt.

max

[Huntsman]

Thanks Boonies
- Wow so it seems they were maybe always plastic - Good to know - And surprising
Good weightwise - But poor for quality and durability (scratches etc) and bad if the mirrored surface is de-laminating

Anyone else

[Thunderpants]

If I recall correctly the mirror was a flexible rectangle, silver on one side, black on the other. Did the silver side come protected by a murky, peel off sheet of plastic or am I imagining it?
I got my Swisschamp in the mid-late 1980s, and took so little care of it the only bits I still have are 1) the pouch 2) the pinkish sharpening stone. The SAK  itself has gone AWOL, as have all the bits and pieces that came with it.

[Sea Monster]

And if anyone has a metal mirror spare that they can sell me please let me know
- Or can anyone suggest where I could order a metal one or even make one.

It's a piece of polished stainless steel with a hole in the middle.

Not out of the realms of making one yourself...


Anyway, I might have one I can spare. I'll have to see if I can find it, and if it's not scratched to buggery

It's about 8 x 10 cm...

Possibly a little big for pocket/emergency carry (I have them for Sailing/Marine survival kits, so pocketability is less of an issue  )



Edit:

Or Whitworths sells them 

https://whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=74484&search123=mirror&intAbsolutePage=1

They don't have the sighting hole though (could drill it yourself) and print off some basic instructions (other signal methods, arm-wave-meanings etc) and stick it to the back.